The present invention relates to a technique for detecting the presence of a print recording medium reservoir when a plurality of print recording medium reservoirs equipped with bus-connected memory device are used.
Print recording material reservoirs equipped with memory devices, such as ink cartridges, have come to be used. In the memory device are stored, for example, data relating to the amount of printing/recording medium (xe2x80x9cinkxe2x80x9d), data relating to the type of ink, and information as to the year and date the ink cartridge was manufactured. In color printers, ordinarily at least four colors of ink are used, namely cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink. Accordingly, a printer is equipped either with two ink cartridges, namely a black ink cartridge and a color ink cartridge, or with four ink cartridges, with one cartridge being for each color.
Further, to reduce the number of signal lines connecting each memory device provided on an ink cartridge with a control circuit, a technique is known whereby the signal line that identifies each memory device is eliminated, and a bus connection is used in which each memory device is connected using a common bus. With this technique, an identifying figure that has been uniquely assigned to each memory device is used to specify (identify) each bus-connected memory device.
However, with the bus connection format, the problem arises that, although the removal of an ink cartridge can be detected, when a plurality of ink cartridges are removed at the same time, it is impossible to identify which ink cartridge has been removed. Moreover, when communication between each memory device provided on an ink cartridge and the control circuit of the printer does not occur correctly, it cannot be ascertained in which memory device (ink cartridge) a malfunction has developed; the user must detach all of the ink cartridges to confirm their operation.
The present invention is intended to solve the aforementioned problems, and has the aim of detecting communication malfunctions that have developed in a print recording material reservoir, and obtaining information regarding such malfunctions, in the case of a printing device equipped with a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with bus-connected memory devices. Another object of the present invention is to detect which print recording material reservoir is not present. A further object of the present invention is to detect in which memory device with which a print recording material reservoir has been equipped has a malfunction when communication between a memory device and a printing device does not occur correctly.
In the first aspect of the present invention intended to solve the problems, a malfunction detecting device for print recording material reservoirs equipped with a memory device that stores identifying information is provided. The malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention comprises signal lines that connect via bus connection each of the memory devices with which the plurality of print recording material reservoirs are equipped; a communication determining unit that determines whether communication is possible with all the memory devices with which the print recording material reservoirs are equipped, via the signal lines; and a malfunctioning print recording material reservoir identifying unit that identifies the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has developed, based on the identifying information, when the communication determining unit determines that communication is not possible with all of the memory devices.
With the first aspect of the present invention, it is determined whether communication is possible with memory devices with which a plurality of print recording material reservoirs are equipped. When a communication malfunction has developed, the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has developed is specified using identifying information. As a result, when a printing device has a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with bus-connected memory devices, it is possible to detect in which print recording material reservoir a communication malfunction has developed. Here, determining the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has developed can readily be accomplished, for example, by transmitting identifying information to memory devices, and basing the determination on whether or not the memory devices to which identifying information has been transmitted respond. Alternatively, identifying information stored by memory devices may be detected, and the determination based on whether or not the expected identifying information exists.
The malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention may also comprise an attachment determining unit determining whether the print recording material reservoirs are attached when the plurality of print recording material reservoirs have been moved to a position in which the print recording material reservoirs cannot be removed; and a communication malfunction reason determining unit determining whether a communication malfunction has been caused by a print recording material reservoir not being attached, when it is determined that the print recording material reservoir is not attached.
In this case, by providing a structure in which detachment of print recording material reservoirs is not permitted, it is possible to detect with certainty the existence of print recording material reservoirs, and it is also possible to ascertain whether the reason for a communication malfunction lies in an attachment failure of a print recording material reservoir.
In the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention, when it is determined that the print recording material reservoir is not attached, the communication malfunction reason determining unit may also determine that the cause of the communication malfunction lies in a communication malfunction arising in a memory device with which the print recording material reservoir has been equipped. In such a case, it can be determined that the reason for a communication malfunction that has arisen even though the print recording material reservoirs are attached lies in a communication malfunction occurring in a memory device with which a print recording material reservoir has been equipped.
In the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention, the communication determining unit may also determine whether or not communication is possible with all of the memory devices with which the print recording material reservoirs have been equipped, when the plurality of print recording material reservoirs have been moved to a position in which the print recording material reservoirs cannot be removed. In such a case, because the print recording material reservoirs cannot freely be detached, communication malfunctions can be determined with more certainty.
In the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention, the malfunctioning print recording material reservoir identifying unit may also retrieve identifying information for each of the plurality of print recording material reservoirs successively, and identify the print recording material reservoir that has a memory device in which identifying information is stored that cannot be detected as the print recording material reservoir in which the communication malfunction has arisen.
In the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention, the identifying information may also be information relating to the print recording material contained in the print recording material reservoir. In such a case, the information relating to the print recording medium can be used to implement printing management.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a notifying device that provides notification of a communication malfunction arising in a print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device is provided. The notifying device of the second aspect of the present invention comprises a communication malfunction detecting unit that detects a communication malfunction with a memory device with which a print recording material reservoir is equipped, a print recording material reservoir identifying unit that identifies the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has arisen, and a notifying unit that notifies of the identified print recording material reservoir.
With the use of the notifying device of the second aspect of the present invention, the user can be notified of which print recording material reservoir has developed a communication malfunction. Accordingly, the user can very easily identify a print recording material reservoir in which a communication malfunction has developed.
The notifying device of the second aspect of the present invention, moreover, may also comprise a communication malfunction reason determining unit, which determines whether the cause of the communication malfunction is that one of the print recording material reservoirs is not attached, or that the cause lies in a memory device with which a print recording material reservoir is equipped; the notifying unit may provide notification of the identified print recording material reservoir through the condition of a notification that differs according to the reason for the communication malfunction. In such a case, the user can clearly be notified of a detached print recording material reservoir or of a print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has developed. Accordingly, on reattachment, it is possible to prevent a print recording material reservoir from being attached that contains a print recording material differing from that in the detached print recording material reservoir. Moreover, because a print recording material reservoir with a communication malfunction can be identified at a glance, the communication malfunction can readily be corrected.
With the notifying device of the second aspect of the present invention, the different notification conditions can comprise notification by means of a display lamp, notification by means of a display image, and notification by means of a sound.
With the notifying device of the second aspect of the present invention, memory devices with which print recording material reservoirs are equipped are connected through a shared bus connection, and individual identifying information is stored in the memory devices. The print recording material reservoir identifying unit may also identify a print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has developed based on the identifying information. In a device with such a structure, the same operative effect can be obtained as with the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention.
In a third aspect of the present invention, a printing device is provided with a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with memory devices in which identifying information is stored attached. The printing device of the third embodiment of the present invention is equipped with: signal lines connecting via bus-connection each memory device with which the plurality of print recording material reservoirs is equipped; a replacement request detecting unit that detects a replacement request in the print recording material reservoir; a replacement completion detecting unit that detects completion of replacement of the print recording material reservoir; an attachment determining unit that determines whether or not the plurality of print recording material reservoirs are all attached; a communication determining unit that determines whether or not communication is possible with each of the memory devices via the signal lines when the plurality of print recording material reservoirs are all determined to be attached; and a first print recording material reservoir identifying unit that identifies a print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device with which communication is not possible based on the identifying information, when it is determined that communication is not possible with each of the memory device.
With the printing device of the third embodiment of the present invention, when the plurality of print recording material reservoirs are all attached, it is determined whether or not communication is possible with each of the memory devices via signal lines; when it is determined that communication is not possible with each of the memory devices, the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device with which communication is not possible is identified based on identifying information. As a result, which memory device with which a print recording material reservoir is equipped has developed a malfunction can be detected. Further, by providing a structure in which notification is conducted as to a print recording material reservoir in which correct communication cannot be achieved, a user does not have to repeat the detaching of all of the print recording material reservoirs, but can identify at a glance the print recording material reservoir with which communication cannot take place correctly.
Further, with the printing device of the third embodiment of the present invention, a print recording material data acquiring unit may be provided which acquires data relating to a print recording material from each of the memory devices when it is determined that communication is possible with each of the memory devices. In such a case, it is possible to acquire correct print recording material data from each of the memory devices.
Further, with the printing device of the third embodiment of the present invention, when it is determined that not all of the plurality of print recording material reservoirs are attached, a second print recording material reservoir identifying unit may be provided to communicate with each of the memory devices via the signal lines, and identify a detached print recording material reservoir based on the identifying information. In such a case, it is possible to detect which print recording material reservoir is not attached when a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with bus-connected memory devices are attached to a printing device.
Further, with the printing device of the third embodiment of the present invention, it is also acceptable that said printing device may be equipped with: a first moving unit that moves the print recording material reservoirs into the replacement position, when a replacement request is detected for the print recording material reservoir by means of the replacement request detecting unit; and a second moving unit that moves the print recording material reservoirs into the attachment determining position where attachment determination is performed on the print recording material reservoirs by means of the attachment determining unit, when the completion of replacement of the print recording material reservoirs has been detected by the replacement completion detecting unit.
In such a case, for example, by providing a structure in which detachment of the print recording material reservoirs is not permitted at the attachment determining position, the presence or absence of print recording material reservoirs can be detected with certainty.
In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a method of detecting whether or not print recording material reservoirs are attached is provided, in a printing device in which a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with memory devices that are bus-connected and that store identifying information. With the method of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a determination is made whether or not a replacement request for the print recording material reservoirs has been generated; when a determination has been made that a replacement request for the print recording material reservoirs has been generated, a determination is made whether or not replacement of the print recording material reservoirs has been completed; when a determination has been made that replacement of the print recording material reservoirs has been completed, a determination is made whether or not each of the print recording material reservoirs is attached; when a determination has been made that one of the print recording material reservoirs is not attached, the detached print recording material reservoir is identified using the identifying information.
Using the method of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, when a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with bus-connected memory devices are attached to a printing device, which print recording material reservoir is not attached can be detected using identifying information.
With the method of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, it is also acceptable that: when a determination has been made that all of the print recording material reservoirs are attached, a determination is made whether or not communication is possible with each of the memory devices; when a determination has been made that communication is possible with each of the memory devices, information stored in the memory devices relating to the print recording material is obtained. In such a case, because communication with each of the memory devices occurs correctly, information relating to the print recording medium can be acquired with certainty.
With the method of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, it is also acceptable that: when a determination has been made that communication is impossible with one of the memory devices, the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device with which communication is impossible can be identified using the identifying information. In such a case, a print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device with which communication cannot occur correctly can be detected. Further, by providing a structure in which notification is made of a print recording material reservoir with which communication cannot occur correctly, a user does not have to repeat the detaching of all of the print recording material reservoirs, but can identify at a glance the print recording material reservoir with which communication cannot take place correctly.
In a fifth embodiment of the present invention, a print recording material reservoir detecting device is provided that is appropriate for use with a printing device in which a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with memory devices that store identifying information are attached. The print recording material reservoir detecting device of the fifth embodiment of the present invention is equipped with: signal lines connecting via bus connection each of the memory devices with which the plurality of print recording material reservoirs is equipped; a selecting unit that selects a print recording material reservoir to be replaced from among the plurality of print recording material reservoirs; a first moving unit that moves the selected print recording material reservoir to a replacement position where replacement of the print recording material reservoir is permitted; a replacement completion detecting unit that detects when replacement of the print recording material reservoir has been completed; a second moving unit that moves all of the print recording material reservoirs to an attachment determining position where removal is physically impossible, when it is detected that replacement of the print recording material reservoirs has been completed; an attachment determining unit that determines whether or not all of the print recording material reservoirs are attached at the attachment determining position; a communication determining unit that determines whether or not communication with each of the memory devices is possible via the signal lines, when it is determined that all of the plurality of print recording material reservoirs are attached; and a first print recording material reservoir identifying unit that identifies a print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device with which communication is impossible based on the identifying information, when it is determined that communication is not possible with all of the memory devices.
With the print recording material reservoir detecting device of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, because all of the print recording material reservoirs are moved to an attachment determining position where removal is physically impossible, and it is then determined whether the print recording material reservoirs are attached, a more certain determination can be made as to whether the print recording material reservoirs are attached.
Further, with the print recording material reservoir detecting device of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, it is also acceptable that: a second print recording material reservoir identifying unit is provided that communicates with each of the memory devices via the signal lines and identifies a detached print recording material reservoir based on the identifying information, when it is determined that not all of the plurality of print recording material reservoirs are attached. In such a case, a detached print recording material reservoir can be detected in a simple manner using identifying information.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed descriptions and studying the various figures of the drawings.